Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-12-02
rHE GENERAL PosroTrIUE.



realized during the past year, chiefly from |
b greater employment oi all postal facil-
l'jos uuseg9ent upon the rising business
3. 1sptlItY Ot the country, tal,hfully re
Ueateo lu taa postal service, the revenues
have iued upon the preceding year by |
nearly s4,S4JOOO, attaining height never +
reached before, despite the restrictive Op. !
Grafton ol various reductions in the rates
OF hostage.
Thus the deficiency charged upon the
general treasury, which two years since |
was a round $1,000 600 and a year ago but |
about $4,000 less has been reduced al !
most three eevenths, while the fair au-
guty from our present circumstances
gives hup' that during The cur
rent YER j will nearly If not entire
ly disappear. The time is probably not |
distant when, If the wisest measures of |
economy ue persued, the rate of charge |
upon tc' tela can be properly lowered 10 |
Que cent Hn ounce, and some diminish |
mtlt permitted in the pOstage~ upon mer- /
cheudisr aud other matter. But the let |
ter postage Of the United States Is now |
nXed at u rate below that Of all other /.
countries save one, and, when the |
distances Of transportation are cons idered, !
is cheaper than III any other And the |
combined receipts from all mail matter /
not oj the irs class fall tar short OF the /
cost ui It's hauG,ing; atfurding little claim, |
therefore. tor less postage charges.
in" present luucl Ure in it, affairs while /
pos,age taxa Iou is cheap and iH'r, ana
vet sufficient O. promise coming period |
of prosperity, appears 70 afford tavur-
abe opportunity to direct the iuauIura
tUn OF measure, ut justice to pos al ser
wants, OF improvement IN appliances ana
methods and Of expansion of facilities
which experience has shown to be deslI.
able, such aS the provision ui buildings tor
aostptli 4es in communities IF such slze a.
to require an Oinc- ln'cpS' dent OF private
affairs: the extension ami perfection O.
the syst in ot irte dtilYely uutli an com
mumtlr> sIlpy It's rrvlleEeS which are 80
situated ~ TO make it heir due the thor
ouLh Reformation Of the system OF en-
poyInE Au' paying tor railroad transpor-
taUOu; IN establishment OF additional
fN-. mail service; provision for the in
stiuction aud examination OF persons Tor
appointment IN tue rt' way mHil service
enlargement OF the foreign parcels post
system recently entered upou 80 IL to em-
brace all countres with which retail
trade VIII he advanta4 to our people;
and the addition OF some auNl!lailes to our
means of postal convenience.
Mr. Villas gives extended statistics con
ctrninG the postotiice. or these there
were, on the l1t OF October, OF the 11rst
class, 81; Of the second class, 40; OF the
third class, 1864, aud OF ali presidential
Offices 23Sl. The compensation OF the
presidential po-tmAstere was liked Tor the
Gu rent year at 8, $50, 300, a net Increase OF
SO 500, or per cent upon the adj uStment
OF last year.
There are o., S2l postofliCes OF the fourth
class. or the postlnaster5 VI this Class 5b
per cent have been removed or have re
signed in two years.
Salaries OF the third class vary from
$1,000, where gross receipts are $500 and
not exceeding $2lO, to $1,000, where gross
receipts reach $1,000 but not over 5000;
salaries of the second class rise from SSOUO,
for gross receipts of 5000 and not over
10000, to S2SOO, tor gross receipts OF S35, ,OOO
or more and not exceeding $4,000. Thus.
If the business of AN office be between
$1,000 ana 5000, the postmaster must bear
the entire charges of it and have for
himself only what shall be lett OF
$500; while If the business be but 800
or more the postmaster may take $1,000
ne net nor ~ services, ai.t ,neSe otoen niUiG
Office work. To remedy this, Mr. Villas
recommends less arbitrary c as tlication.
he recon mends tnad new new posI0lilce me- ol'lld
me- creCtaI n tha tNWns nraTiny thrm
to the extent of 80 offices for each million
Of eXPtnd cure for postal service. tie re
cu''lheh"S Tue "Pp"ln' lhtut oi Iou't
S.l..ri.. f., ti,rofi,n rIarl,s and mf ths
,al8rle. of the officers Of the department
at Washington
tllcernlng the printing OF advertising
cal on 'L'lu Or o'.' II ell,S prtH',9, "v
nEiac,iin =" his oriviIegp if rh4 advrr.
tis-meut he so iml ed a. to leave u suf-
ha'eut space for The address, for post
marking and rating, and tor retor"ard-
lug or return addresses. Such prlnlluG
/ adds nothing OF burden 20 the mall, ana
Caun0t be Thought TO limit their employ
meut otherwise.
Probably no relaxation OF the guards